Amsterdam UMC is using artificial intelligence to detect lung cancer up to four months earlier than general practitioners. The AI model analyses CT scans and identifies subtle patterns that may go unnoticed in standard clinical assessments. On average, the system flags abnormalities 117 days earlier than GP referrals.

Developed at the Cancer Center Amsterdam, the technology allows for much earlier detection, often before patients show symptoms. According to researcher and physician Matthieu Rutten, early diagnosis greatly increases the chance of successful treatment.

The findings were published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, based on a comparison of AI results with more than 22,000 standard GP referrals. In many cases, the AI-supported process led to an earlier start of treatment.

Currently, the tool is being used to assess lung scans from smokers and former smokers participating in screening programmes. Rutten emphasizes that the AI system is not a replacement for doctors, but rather an additional layer of support in complex diagnostics: “It’s like having an extra pair of eyes.”

This application shows how AI innovation in our city is contributing to more timely and effective healthcare.